Girl at the Rock Shows

I didn’t grow up with cable, so, honestly, I had never heard of Adult Swim’s Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! before and had definitely never heard of David Liebe Hart’s name. So why was that my show of choice on Saturday night, especially when there were so many other shows happening in town that I knew would be amazing things happening at different venues around town, and I knew nothing about what would be happening at The Underground Music Cafe? Honestly, it’s because of the headliner reaching out to me and explaining that this was a show that I just could not miss. Honestly, I’m not sure that I made the right choice on what show to go to on Saturday night, but now that I’ve slept on it, I know that I went to the most memorable show on Saturday night.

Things were supposed to start off with the local band The Controversial New Skinny Pill, which had me excited. This is one of those bands that has been on my list to check out for some time, but Saturday was to be my first chance to actually make that dream a reality. I’m not sure what happened or why The Controversial New Skinny Pill didn’t play, but I did get a little peak into the band’s world as the “new” opener was Bridal Style- a duo made up of members from the larger The Controversial New Skinny Pill. When the duo first took the stage, I was a bit confused. Maggie and Skyler didn’t have microphones in their hands and, instead, spent the first couple of minutes of their set just dancing to cheesy 80s-styled beats. Although I was confused, I loved how quirky this was and loved how it set the stage for the rest of the night.

As Bridal Style’s set went on, we were treated to the vocals of this duo. They were campy, much like some of the synchronized dance moves, but they were also stunning in a strange way. Their songs were quirky, much like the performance, yet I felt connected to the music because of the lyrics. A personal favorite of mine was their song about being an “analog girl in a digital world,” where Maggie sang about being low-key annoyed and frustrated with how addicted people are to their phones. I’ve been dealing with this a lot lately, and I feel like I debate just throwing my cell away and opting for a house phone at least once a week. From that fun jam to the song that proved that Bridal Style started the pop-country obsession that seems to be sweeping the nation lately (okay, you just had to be there for this joke to stick, but it made me laugh… hard), I really enjoyed this intriguing and different opener (and I’m not using the word “different” in a bad way, they truly were just different).

Up next was the local group Shrimp Olympics. I’ve covered them a couple of times, and every time I do, I feel like I’m left with the same things to say, so I will keep this portion short to save you from my ramblings. Long story short, Shrimp Olympics is one of those local bands that I really have my eyes on right now. Their 70s-infused rock sound is intriguing and interesting, but, more importantly, it’s super well done. Every time I see them, this band feels like they’ve honed in a bit more on their sound while still having the same sense of surprise as they jump from that 70’s-infused rock to county rock to jazz and all the way into baroque pop. Shrimp Olympics keep you on your toes, and I loved how, although Saturday night at the Underground Music Cafe was already a super random line-up, the bi-polar offerings of Shrimp Olympics fit the night oh so perfectly.

Although I knew what to expect from Shrimp Olympics, I had no clue what would happen with touring act David Liebe Hart. As mentioned, David Liebe Hart is a famous character from the Adult Swim show ‘Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!’ but that really meant nothing to me. He is known for performing bizarre puppetry and singing in many different voices on the show, but he has done so much more than just that one show. I won’t get into it all, but if you have a minute, you should look into this guy because his story and all of the things he has done throughout his sixty-seven years of life are truly impressive and will give you a bit more background on this man than what I have the time to share with you right now.

David Liebe Hart took the stage and instantly started telling us the backstory of the first few songs he would perform. The first few revolved around his ex-girlfriends and ex-wife, but they weren’t your standard angsty songs about exes. It was more songs about David forgiving her exes, and I loved the charm that that brought to the set, this man, and the night. From songs about his exes to songs about aliens all the way to a song about the almighty Betty White and his obsession with trains, David Liebe Hart was a bit all over the place, but it worked. The off-the-wall and untraceable thought process of his songs, mixed with the use of puppets and multiple voices, led to a set that often had me laughing. The only problem I felt with David’s set was the length. It lasted for nearly an hour and a half, and, honestly, it was just a bit too long for me, but, with that being said, I was more than honored to have the chance to witness David perform on Saturday night.

The bipolar nature of Saturday night at The Underground Music Cafe did not end there. Local post-hardcore leaning emo band Careful Gaze closed out the night, and they did it with a bang. Although some of the audience had left after getting what they came for (which was apparently David Liebe Hart), those who stuck around were treated to a set from one of the hardest-working and well-rehearsed heavy bands in the city. Careful Gaze took the stage (and floor as Gabe, the vocalist, spent the majority of the set screaming from the audience) and instantly had me sold with their honest brand of passion and fire. Although it was definitely a shock to the system after the set from David Liebe Hart, it was a good kind of shock. The music of Careful Gaze may be intense, but it’s also beautifully cathartic. The moments of intense darkness followed by the feeling of pain leaving the body in the form of primal vocals is just one of the many things that I love about this band. Their set may have been short, but it was intense, ferocious, and beautiful. Careful Gaze is headed out on a pretty epic tour that will take them down to Texas and back, so make sure to check their schedule and see if they are coming to a city near you. I promise it’s worth your time.

Nothing about the show on Saturday night at The Underground Music Cafe was normal, but what’s the fun with normal? I don’t remember the last time I smiled so much at a show, and although I still don’t think I’ve fully processed everything I saw and heard on Saturday night, I definitely don’t think I’ll be forgetting that show any time soon.

Line Up:

Bridal Style

Shrimp Olympics

David Liebe Hart

Careful Gaze

Venue: Underground Music Venue & Cafe

Smell-O-Meter: Nothing

Average Age of the Crowd: 25

Crowd Surfers- 0

Stage Divers- 0

Mosh-ability- 4 out of 10

Broken Bones- None Spotted

Spotted Flying Through The Air- Nothing

Fights- None Witnessed

Pukers- 0

Passed Out People- 0

Idiots Taken Out By Security – 0

How Many Times I’ve Seen These Bands Before (or at least how many times I can remember)-

Bridal Style – 0

Shrimp Olympics – 2

David Liebe Hart – 0

Careful Gaze – 2

Celebrity Sightings – None

Overall Score – 8.8 out of 10

Show on Deck — JJ Wilde / Callback

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